I went for a 7km run today normally I don’t take fluids until after 10km so I was shocked at 4km In to realise I was struggling due to a couple of factors, heat (for the first time in ages) I was tired and more importantly I was dehydrated. A couple of days eating out with more salt in the food than I am used to, a few too many gin cocktails and my body was suffering in the heat, so I took the pace down and took it easy.
It reminded me that a couple of times a year I put the same post up about looking after ourselves when it get a bit hotter.
So here is my post on hydration........
Two years ago at one of my Half Marathons there were a lot of casualties due to the heat. We often talk about hydration and dehydration on here. As I was thinking about this today I realised that as many of us are new to running do we really know why its so important. I have put a list together of web pages to have a little read about and get an understanding how important it is when we run that we are properly hydrated.
Please feel free to discuss this and post positive links that can help us all to understand our hydration and keep us all safe while we are out running.
This is a good article explaining why hydration is important. There are many schools of thought about what you should drink but what happens to your body is a staple.
As always the most important thing is to know yourself. Look into the toilet bowl and judge yourself. I know some will say its not totally accurate but it is free and gives you a starting place.
This is a good indication of Pee Colour from Sports Lucozade
I also thought this year it might be nice if we could share links to what we run with those who have run through summer before. So people have an idea of the options.
I also know that as usual when I put this post up every year there will be a few who will come back and say if your only running for 20 mins you don’t need fluid BUT, we are all different and what is ok for one might not be for another the best thing we can learn is what is best for ourselves. I myself am a right sweaty Betty and a slow runner so a 5km takes me longer than a speedy person and with the addition of a beetroot face and loss of fluid I need water before some.
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Realfoodieclub
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RFC thank you for a great post. This is my first summer running so tips and advice are really needed. I keep thinking I may need a vest top and shorts. Will I need a hat? Sunglasses. And given this morning was 14 degrees at 9.00am I must get out earlier. I run at night but 9.00pm was going to be 17degrees!!!!I am guessing in the summer early morning runs are cooler and I will need to change my running times 😓
I find hats a strange one, at this time of year, it is great you get a bit of shade for the eyes and protection for the head. As the weather heats up I find I need to run without a hat as a hat helps me to overheat. Many times on a run I have to take my hat off to allow some fresh air and cool breeze to my head. I’m not sure if that is just me but I can overheat quite easily. I went out in shorts today as I was trialing my HM outfit, normally in the sun it’s capris and a T-shirt for me, unless I am abroad. 😀. Happy running.
I’m really not, it comes from not trialing an outfit once and nearly losing my bottoms as the event started, I managed to run as fast as I could while holding the back of my bottoms up to preserve my dignity, Never again 😂😂😂
Thanks for this post, just what I needed on this warm and sunny day. I gave myself some more pre running prep time and drank a good litre of water before I set off. With a hat and sunglasses on the run was OK, stuck to the shade where possible.
, I'm new to running and found it very helpful, not that I am planning on running in the heat I like to get up early and go while it is cool, and also has the advantage that there is not many people about, I'm a shy runner
I really struggle with the constant hydration. I drive a couple of hours each way to work, and then I work in a lab so cannot have a drink with me. I tend to have a bottle of water on the car, but I also don’t want to have to find somewhere to stop 😂 and don’t want my greeting to my customer on arrival to be “where’s the toilet?”. I am managing about a litre and a half a day regularly now but as the weather gets warmer I’m worried it’s not going to be enough.
It is a fine line, when I go out for long walks I have to weigh up how much to drink in regards to when can I find a loo, I tend to hydrate while at home and even though it means I might have to get up during the night I drink the night before a bigger run too. It is difficult sometimes. Rfc x
Great and useful post, as always, RFC! I’m not a sweaty type but have learnt the importance of proper hydration. Apart from real physical injury that’s another power that can stop you dead in the tracks with minimal warning. I ran in high heat and humidity with temperatures above 30c so can tell and understand proper preparation. Your post should appear automatically each time the sun comes out.
It is getting there, I am finding as soon as the sun comes out the post is either requested or I remember 😀. I am so conscious of it as I dehydrated on a HM and that and not stopping to go for a pee because I thought my time as more important 🤷🏽♀️ I ended up With a kidney infection a couple of weeks later, the thought of that with one kidney terrifies me so it is all about protection for me. 😀.
Hi RFC, brilliant post. I always carry water for runs over 5k (there’s always water in the car too, for after parkrun).
I have got into the habit of hydrating well the day before a run as I like to run early in the morning and don’t always drink before I go - depending on how early it is.
In the summer, if I know I’m going to be out for a long run and not a lot of shade I put rehydration tabs in my water as occasionally I’ve had that ‘spinny’ feeling, I also always carry a pack of glucose tablets - not needed them myself yet, but I have given them out to wobbly runners after races in the summer........
I don’t drink loads, just sips really when I’m out, but I’ve got the water there should I need it.
Mx
RFC - thank you for posting really helpful info again. I usually run early, so hopefully that will help but.....
I had no idea about the hydration/pee colour connection ☺️🙃. I must have my head in the clouds - you learn something new every day on this forum!!
Thanks for the links in this. Always easier to remember when I understand the process. As a former redhead, with the skin to match, I would put in a plea for folks with paler skin to think about the hat question. I have a useful visor thing from the Running Daughter that shades my face well while letting the breeze get to my hair. And I gather a couple of companies make really well-aerated hats for runners. 😎
Thank you, in summer I always wear factor 50 sports suncream as it allows my skin to breathe but protects my skin, Also for some with thin hair or no hair on top some protection for the scalp.
I’m an early morning runner so I don’t need fluids on my work-day runs. I “only” run 4-6k then and it’s cool. It’s a different matter at the weekend where I will take a little rucksack with a water-bottle full of plain water on my longer runs. I’ve even experimented with drinking tubes on my really long runs (up to half-marathon on very rare occasions). I find I only need water and I’m doing this for fun so I’m not speedy and am more than prepared to sit on a bench and enjoy my surroundings. I think it’s different if you’re racing or pushing yourself, when plain water is probably not enough.
Thank you, I tend to do water mostly then for 2.5 - 3 hour runs I do 1/2 of water 1/2 fresh orange juice and a dash of pink Himalayan salt . Carbs and electrolytes naturally. 😀.
I was feeling thirsty this morning (3 litres of water yesterday) and managed to sort that out... sat at parkrun from 8 watching the temperature rise from a very good for running 52F by 10 degrees by start time... really felt it in the last half mile, and when I got back to the car it was already over 70. Gonna be drinking a lot around long runs!
I need water on the longer runs, today was different though, I came home with such a red face today, good job I only let my hair down very infrequently now 😀.
Thanks RFC, I started running last year so I ran in the summer’s heatwave. 😅 I tried to drink lots of water the day before and straight after a run. Zero rehydration tablets were good.
Another tip I picked up was to soak a buff in cold water and wrap around the neck or wrist to keep you cooler.
Oh that would of been nice today. I know last year I was persuaded to take some of the water during my HM and tip it over the top of my head, I tried it around 18km at a water station, it was heavenly 😀.
This is an excellent post, RFC: thank you! I struggle with hydration and will really have to think about it. I do drink a fair bit, but not really enough and even when well-hydrated I still have a ‘sticky’ mouth while running. Will have to carry water with me I think, and consider rehydration thingys
Thanks for this really helpful info. I’m definitely a sweaty beetroot type and I found the last 10 minutes of yesterday’s run very difficult even though I was well hydrated and took a drink with me. It doesn’t take much exertion in warmer weather for the blood to start pounding round my head then i get ever worsening headache, often to almost migraine levels, that only sleep will cure, though I have noticed that this is slowly improving since I started C25k and have lost a few pounds
I have realised now that running early is the way to go, plus getting some more appropriate clothing and some kind of sports drink. Hopefully that plus a couple of other tips I’ve seen will do the trick 🤞
Thanks for the hydration tips. I am wondering if that is the reason my runs the las week have got shorter an me more tired. We try drinking more fluid before i run next time and run when i is cooler.
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GOOD HYDRATION
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